Living, loving, and teaching with autism

Why this blog?

Another autism blog? Haven’t we beaten this horse to death already? Why on earth would I want to read this blog? There are thousands of blogs dealing with autism, what makes this blog different?

I wrestled with these thoughts for a very long time. I don’t want to be just another blog that gives basic, common information. You know the kind of information you can do a simple Google search to find. So what sets me apart?

My background and life are very different from anything I’ve seen posted elsewhere. I am a 40-year-old female with autism. I was diagnosed in 1979, when I was 2. This blog is going to have stories from me; what I remember, how I interpret the world, how I’ve gotten to where I am. I am a mom of 3, two of which are diagnosed with autism. This blog will have stories about their experiences; how we relate to each other, how I’ve raised them, how they react to situations. Finally, I am a teacher of students with autism. This blog will have stories about teaching children with ASD; classroom strategies that have worked for me, a look into my daily work life, helpful hints for the classroom.

My goal in writing this blog is to give the world a unique perspective into the mind of autism in the hopes that people can have a deeper understanding of the why’s behind what people on the spectrum do. I do not pretend to have all the answers. I only have my life experiences to share. I hope you are able to use my experiences as a starting point to advocate for your child, your student, or even yourself. I hope to show how easy it is to offer understanding and acceptance to those with autism. Finally, if I can change just ONE person’s mindset from the negative “he looks normal, there is nothing wrong with him, stop making excuses for him” to the more positive “he is different, that is not an excuse, I need to show him understanding and give him a moment to process before I move on” then every second spent writing here is worth it for me!

If you ever have a question about anything related to my family, my autism, or my classroom, please use the contact tab to send me an email. If you have something you would like an answer to, contact me and I will answer you or write a whole blog for you. And if I don’t know the answer, I will tell you that but I will also brainstorm with you to try and find a solution. I am not just here to write, I am also here to help!

In closing, the simple answer to the question ‘why this blog,’ because I see the world differently and I can share that view with you.